Written by Stuart Stevens | Thursday, 24 April 2008
we feel it is unfair that junk food advertisements are directed at children 
A survey done for the consumer watchdog Which? shows that 80 percent of adults reckon that junk food adverts add to their problems when trying to establish healthy eating principles in their children. On top of this 84 percent of adults said that the government should step in to regulate the advertising of junk food to children as it was becoming increasingly irresponsible.
There are some rules and regulations concerning the advertising of junk food on television and on the internet but they are practically insignificant. However there is some hope for the future as a Government Bill is to be introduced for a second reading in Parliament soon which should tighten up the regulations concerning this type of advertising.
The Government Bill will introduce legislation saying that junk food advertising must not be shown before 9:00 PM so that young children could not be specifically targeted. It is noted that a lot of junk food advertising at present is shown after school hours when children are often watching TV.
At Ukmedix News we feel it is unfair that junk food advertisements are directed at children because they are not at an age where they are able to make responsible decisions about what they should and should not eat. When they see these junk food advertisements (which often use cartoon characters) they begin to pester their parents to take them to these restaurants. Even well intentioned parents will eventually buckle under the continuous bombardment of pleas.
McDonald’s for example became experts at organising birthday parties for children using the famous Ronald McDonald to entertain the children. Hundreds of research projects have shown that the eating habits of children are established when they are young and therefore it is imperative that junk food does not become a normal thing for them to eat, because it will make it very difficult for them to give it up as they grow older.